eyes widened in horror, and he slowly wiped at his face, still processing what had just happened.

The room erupted in chaos.

Siya clapped her hands together, her fingers making a sharp sound that echoed through the room. "Paaneshwari Maharani ne pehli baar kisi ko apna prashad diya hai!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with mock reverence, as though they were all witnesses to some divine moment. The entire room turned towards her as she beamed at Kartik, still standing frozen in shock, a look of pure disbelief on his face as the red paan juice dripped down his cheek. "Hey maate! Aap dhanya hain!" she added with exaggerated awe.

Kartik stood still, his expression a mix of confusion and horror. "What the hell?!" he stammered, wiping his face furiously, but the stain remained, a glaring reminder of the madness unfolding around him.

Just as Kartik was about to process what had just happened, a voice thundered across the room.

"Ye aapki beti pagal hai kya?" Gayatri's voice cut through the air, sharp and furious. She rose from her seat, her face flushed with anger, her eyes burning with a mix of confusion and rage. The room fell into an abrupt, stunned silence.

Everyone turned to see Richa slowly, almost deliberately, turning her head toward Gayatri. Her expression was unreadable at first, but then she tilted her head, narrowing her eyes with a calculating intensity. There was a long pause, the tension so thick it could almost be cut with a knife. And then, as if it had been prearranged for maximum effect, Richa flashed a wide, exaggerated smile—her teeth stained completely red from the paan.

Gayatri recoiled, her mouth dropping open as her eyes widened in disgust. "What... what is this madness?" she muttered, unable to process the scene.

Shreya, sensing that the situation was spiraling out of control, rushed in to salvage what little dignity the group had left. "Arey nahi, nahi! Ye log toh bas… mazaak kar rahe the! Bacche hain abhi, bas—" she stammered, trying to dismiss the whole thing as a harmless prank, but her words faltered under the weight of the absurdity that had taken over.

But before she could finish her sentence, Ritika stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with mischief, and her hand shot into the air in a dramatic flourish. "Hey moorkh aurat!" she bellowed, her voice booming with regal authority, as if she were speaking to an unruly subject.

The room went deathly silent. The rest of the group looked on, a mix of curiosity and excitement in their eyes. Gayatri, who had been fuming just moments ago, blinked in confusion. "H-huh?" she muttered, utterly thrown off by the unexpected turn of events.

Ritika didn't miss a beat. Her face remained serious, almost intimidating, as she continued, "Kya tumhe pata nahi tum kisse pagal ho rahi ho? Yeh toh swarg se utari devi hain! Shree Shree 1008 Paaneshwari Maharani ji!"

Siya, ever the dramatic one, nodded solemnly. She folded her hands together in a gesture of respect as if they were all standing in the presence of a true divine being. "Tumne Maharani ka apmaan kiya hai, ab shrap lagega tumhe!" she added, her tone turning dangerously authoritative.

Arushi gasped, her eyes widening as she turned to Richa, feigning innocence. "Maharani ji, inka kya karna hai?" she asked, her voice laced with mock concern, as if they were discussing a serious royal decree.

Richa, without a word, licked the remaining paan juice from the corner of her lips in a slow, deliberate motion, her expression unreadable. She then stood up from Darsh’s back with an air of regality that could rival any monarch. The room seemed to hold its breath.

"Hey moorkh mahila!" Richa boomed, pointing a finger directly at Gayatri. Gayatri jumped back in alarm, but Richa continued, undeterred. "Tumhe abhi hamari paan ki shaktiyon ka andaza nahi hai. Ek pichkari de denge… shrap lag jayega!"

The mention of the pichkari sent a chill through the room. The entire group watched in rapt attention, waiting for Gayatri's next move.

Kanak, eager to add fuel to the fire, clapped her hands together with exaggerated excitement. "Maharani ji, kya hum inhe shrap de sakte hain?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock sweetness.

And with that, Kanak stepped forward, grabbed another paan from Ritika’s plate with dramatic flair, and popped it into her mouth. She chewed it with exaggerated satisfaction, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint. Without warning, she turned toward Gayatri, leaned back, and splashed the red paan juice in Gayatri's direction.

"Aaaaaah!" Gayatri shrieked, her hands flying up in defense as she jumped backward. The juice splattered harmlessly on the floor instead of hitting her, but it only added to the chaotic absurdity of the situation. Gayatri stood there, panting, her face contorted in a mix of horror and disbelief.

Shivam, who had been standing at the sidelines with his mouth hanging open in utter disbelief, finally couldn’t take it any longer. His voice broke the chaos as he threw his hands up in the air, frustration clearly evident in his words. "Bas! Yeh kya ho raha hai? Hum shadi ke liye ladki dekhne aaye the ya tamash?" His voice was a mixture of shock and exasperation, unable to comprehend how something so chaotic had unfolded in front of him.

Siya gasped, clutching her heart dramatically as if she had been mortally wounded. She turned to face Shivam, her eyes wide with mock horror. "Moorkh purush! Yeh koi circus nahi! Yeh toh Paaneshwari Maharani ka darbaar hai!" Her tone was a blend of theatrical outrage and amusement, as if to remind everyone that they were not just witnessing a prank, but a royal spectacle.

Divya, who had been struggling to contain his laughter, barely managed to hold it together. He leaned in, his voice laced with teasing amusement. "Aur aapko toh aise khush hona chahiye! Itna badha sukh sabko nahi milta!" he added, clearly enjoying the bizarre turn of events and the confusion it was causing.

Richa, clearly loving the attention and the chaos she had stirred, grabbed another paan, holding it up with a flourish. She raised her arm dramatically into the air. "Jaa! Maharani ka shrap tujhe laga!" she announced, her voice carrying the weight of a royal decree. The paan, however, didn’t land with the desired precision. It flew through the air in an almost anticlimactic manner, landing with a loud, comical plop on the floor instead of hitting anyone.

That was the tipping point.

The room erupted into an uncontrollable burst of laughter. Harsh, Naman, Piyush, and Gaurav were holding back their laughter with great effort, their faces turning red from the strain of it. Arav and Akash were doubled over, clutching their stomachs as tears rolled down their faces from the sheer absurdity of it all. Shashwat, struggling to keep himself composed, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, his shoulders shaking with mirth.

Meanwhile, Manav, Shreya, Tara, Kirti, Ishika and Aruna, who had been caught in the crossfire of the madness, were looking for a place to hide, mortified by the spectacle. It was clear that the entire situation had spiraled far beyond anyone's expectations. The group’s laughter was almost infectious, as if they were all caught in a moment of shared absurdity that no one could escape from.

But amidst the chaos, Gayatri, her face flushed with anger and humiliation, wiped her face furiously, still reeling from the paan fiasco. Her nostrils flared as she turned toward Manav and Shreya, her voice rising with a fierce intensity. "Yeh aapki beti pagal hai!" she shouted, pointing accusingly at Richa, who simply stood there with a grin plastered across her face, her red-stained teeth now giving her an even more terrifying appearance. She looked like a mischievous villain, her eyes glinting with unapologetic glee.

Shivam, still trying to process the madness around him, shook his head in disbelief. "Sirf beti nahi, pura parivaar hi pagal hai! Hume koi shaadi nahi karni yahan!" he declared, his voice thick with frustration. "Yeh toh jo ho raha hai, woh humne kabhi socha bhi nahi tha!" He motioned around the room, clearly done with the whole ordeal. "Ab toh yeh sab chhodo, koi shaadi waadi mat karo!"

Kartik, who had been standing silently, his eyes wide with shock, finally found his voice. He glanced at Richa with a horrified expression, his face pale. "Aunty, ye kaisi sanskar hai iske?" he asked, his tone shaky. "Aapne to kaha tha bahot ache sanskar hain, bahot seedhi hai…apne guest ke saath aisa behave karti hai yeh?" He shuddered at the thought, clearly unable to even complete his sentence. His words hung in the air like a cold reminder of the shock everyone was feeling.

The atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically. The laughter and playful jabs came to an abrupt halt as everyone’s expressions turned serious, their frustration mounting. Siya, who had been quietly simmering for a while, couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her eyes flared with anger as she slammed the plate down onto the table with a loud thud.

“Abbe o!” she snapped, her voice dripping with venom. “Jada Sanskari ladki chahiye tharki sale… dikh raha tha abhi kaise mujhe Aru ko, Divya ko, Kanak ko ghoor raha tha apni ghatiya nazaron se… aur uncle aunty, aap kisi aur ke sanskar pe ungli uthane ke pehle apne bete ka character thik kariye!”

Her words struck like a lightning bolt, the sharpness of her tone echoing across the room. She stood tall, her gaze unwavering, each word laced with a burning indignation. Everyone, including Gayatri and Shivam, was left reeling from the weight of her accusations.

Naman, who had been quietly observing the tension build up, couldn’t hold back either. “Maine bhi dekha hai,” he interjected, his voice thick with disdain. “Ye hamare betiyon ko kaisi gandi nazron se dekh raha tha.” His words, though calm, carried an underlying anger that was impossible to ignore. He wasn’t the type to jump into an argument, but this was different—this was personal.

Harsh, who had been on the verge of speaking out earlier, finally broke his silence. “Ham toh bolne hi wale the ki ye rishte se mana kar dijiye,” he said, his voice filled with exasperation. “Par tabhi ye sab aa kar apna drama shuru kar di.” He gestured to Gayatri and Shivam, his frustration clear as day. “Agar aap log sab kuch samajh kar apni batasuni khud nahi sudharenge, toh yeh sab baat nahi rukne wali!”

The air felt thick with tension. Gayatri, whose face was flushed with anger, turned toward Harsh, her eyes blazing with rage. “Aap aise kaise mere bete pe ilzaam laga sakte hain?” she seethed. She stood up, her voice rising, her face contorted in disbelief at the accusation. “Mera beta aise nahi kar sakta!”

Shashwat, who had been watching all this in growing frustration, finally exploded. He stood up, his face a mask of anger, his voice sharp as he addressed Gayatri. “Aunty, jo dekha wahi bola!” he retorted angrily. “Yahan sab pagal nahi hai jo koi samjhega nahi ki iski Nazar kaisi thi. Agar aapko lagta hai ki aapke bete ka character itna pavitra hai, toh zara apne hi bete ki aankhon mein dekho!” His words were biting, filled with the force of every moment of injustice he had been witnessing.

Gayatri’s face turned even redder, her grip tightening around her purse as she stepped forward. “Aap log nikal sakte hain!” Manav’s voice rang out, his patience having worn thin. He stood up abruptly, looking at Gayatri with a cold expression, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. “Ab bas! Yahan sab kuch samajhne ke baad, aapko samajh nahi aata?”

With a huff of indignation, Gayatri clutched her purse even tighter, the anger radiating off her. “Chalo yahan se,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “Hum ek second bhi nahi rukenge!” She grabbed Kartik’s hand, pulling him toward the door, her anger propelling her forward. Kartik, looking stunned and confused, stumbled behind her, unable to comprehend what was happening.

As they stormed toward the door, Shivam, looking equally appalled, tried to make one last attempt at reason, but Gayatri wasn’t listening anymore. She turned on her heel, dragging her husband along with her, her voice seething with fury. "Chalo, yeh kuch samjhne ki wajah se kuch nahi badla, toh hum bhi ja rahe hain. Aise logon ke beech rukna kisi ki izzat ko khatrey mein daalna hai!" With that, she threw open the door, dragging Kartik out behind her like a storm cloud on the verge of exploding.

The second the door slammed shut behind them, the entire family let out a collective sigh of relief. The tension that had been building up in the room for so long finally began to dissipate. Everyone, still reeling from the abrupt turn of events, leaned back, exchanging looks of disbelief.

The tension in the room had finally dissipated, but the air still crackled with energy. Siya, with her characteristic boldness, threw her hands in the air and grinned widely. "Mission accomplished!" she cheered, high-fiving Arushi, who returned the gesture with a triumphant smile. The entire group, having witnessed the hilarious drama unfold, couldn’t help but feel a mix of relief and amusement.

"Waah, Richa, kya performance di hai!" Reyansh exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration and laughter. He clapped enthusiastically, clearly impressed by Richa's fearless antics.

Richa, still grinning, waved her hand dismissively. "Arre, yeh toh bas warm-up tha," she said with a wink. "Aise aur bhi log hain jo humare paas aa sakte hain!"

"Aur inn sabne bhi!" Arav added, gesturing to everyone in the room. His tone was light but carried a playful edge, as he nodded toward the group who had been a part of the comedic chaos.

Shashwat shook his head, laughing in disbelief at what had just transpired. "Ye idea kiska tha?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room, as if searching for the mastermind behind the entire spectacle.

"Kiska ho sakta hai?" Arushi replied immediately, pointing an accusing finger at Siya.

Siya, clearly pleased with herself, shrugged nonchalantly, a devilish grin spreading across her face.

Meanwhile, Manav, Shreya, Tara, and Kirti were sitting in a corner, rubbing their foreheads in sheer exhaustion. The whole scene had left them stunned, their heads spinning from the back-and-forth bickering and outbursts. Tara let out a frustrated sigh and turned toward Siya. "Siya, ye kya harkat thi?" she scolded, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Harsh, who had been enjoying the spectacle from the sidelines. "Arey chhodiye, aise log yahi deserve karte hain!" he said, clearly not feeling an ounce of remorse. "Kam se kam yeh samajh paaye ki hum sab ko apni izzat rakhni hai."

Shreya, rubbing her temples as if trying to process everything, groaned in exasperation. "Mujhe laga tha shareef pariwar hai,"

"Iss se bhi ache rishte ayenge," Naman said confidently. "Aur abhi iski Umar hi kya hai ek do saal rukiye, bahot ladke milenge." His tone was light-hearted.

It was clear that despite the madness, everyone had come to the same conclusion, the evening had been anything but ordinary, and although there were moments of anger, frustration, and embarrassment, there was a deep sense of camaraderie and understanding among them all. In the end, it wasn’t just about the match that was supposed to happen , it was about family, fun, and a little bit of chaos, all mixed together in a way that no one would forget anytime soon.

*****************************************

As the night settled in, Reyansh spotted Arushi walking alone in the corridor. Smirking to himself, he quickly hid behind a pillar, waiting for the perfect moment to pull her into a surprise embrace.

The second he saw movement, he grabbed the person's hand and yanked them toward him with full force.

But instead of the soft gasp he expected, he heard—

"PAAGAL HAI KYA?!"

Reyansh’s eyes widened in horror as he came face to face with a very shocked and very angry Shashwat.

"T...tu??" Reyansh stammered, his face paling.

Shashwat looked equally horrified. "Tu mujhe laga KYA?"

Reyansh gulped, trying to think of an excuse, but before he could, Shashwat’s sharp gaze fell on the packet of chocolates in his hand.

He gasped dramatically, pointing at it. "CHOR SALE KAMINE! Ye chocolate maine Siya ko di thi!"

Reyansh instinctively tightened his grip on the packet. "Toh?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

Shashwat’s jaw dropped. "Toh kya? Tu uske paas se chura ke meri BEHEN ko dene wala tha?!"

Reyansh shrugged. "Abey de toh diya na tune, ab wo jahan chahe jaye. Koi bhi khaye, kya fark padta hai?"

Shashwat narrowed his eyes. "Fark padta hai. Wapas kar!"

Reyansh smirked. "Nahi dunga. Kar le jo karna hai!"

Without another word, Shashwat lunged forward, grabbing at the packet, but Reyansh dodged, holding it above his head.

"Aaja lele, dekhte hain kaun jeetta!" Reyansh teased, making Shashwat even angrier.

The next few seconds were a chaotic mess of grabbing, dodging, pulling, and pushing. In their scuffle, Shashwat tried to snatch the chocolates, but Reyansh twisted his arm behind his back. In retaliation, Shashwat pushed back, sending both of them tumbling against the wall.

Somehow, in the struggle, they ended up in an extremely awkward and compromising position.

Reyansh had Shashwat pinned against the wall, one hand gripping his wrist while his other arm was wrapped around his waist. Shashwat, in turn, had his leg slightly raised, trapped between Reyansh’s. Their faces were mere inches apart, breathing heavily.

At that precise moment, Harsh walked into the corridor.

He froze. His eyes widened.

Reyansh and Shashwat, still in their bizarre wrestling hold, turned their heads slowly and locked eyes with Harsh.

A long, stunned silence followed.

Harsh blinked. Once. Twice. Then, without a single word, he turned on his heel and walked away in complete shock.

"Bewkuf, tu jo isse pehle karne vala tha, abhi harsh uncle dekh liye hote toh pakde jate na." Harsh heard Shahswat's voice, before he could fully disappear from the scene and he almost had a heart attack.

Later that night, Shashwat walked into Reyansh’s room, looking annoyed.

"Sunn, AC zyada thanda kar diya kya? Mera blanket kam pad raha hai."

Reyansh, lying on the bed, rolled his eyes. "Toh ek extra lele na."

Shashwat sighed. "Sab guesthouse wale le gaye. Chal na, aadha share kar le."

Reyansh smirked. "Arre, tu ab mere saath so raha hai?"

Shashwat groaned. "Bekar ki baat mat kar, chal hat." He sat beside him, pulling part of the blanket over himself.

But just as they settled in—the blanket slipped, and both of them grabbed it at the same time. In the tug-of-war, Shashwat accidentally fell right on top of Reyansh.

At the worst possible moment, Harsh opened the door.

And his eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

Shashwat was straddling Reyansh, gripping his wrists, with their faces mere inches apart.

Harsh’s jaw dropped.

Shashwat and Reyansh froze.

A tense silence filled the air.

Harsh immediately turned around, running a hand through his hair. "Main kuch nahi bola, tum dono bade ho… jo karna hai karo…"

Reyansh and Shashwat scrambled apart like they were caught committing a crime.

Shashwat barged into Reyansh’s room, muttering curses under his breath.

"Tu ne meri jacket dekhi?" he grumbled.

Reyansh, still half-asleep, mumbled, "Almirah me hoga. Ja dekh le."

Shashwat sighed, rubbing his temples before stepping toward the small hotel wardrobe. He yanked the doors open and began rummaging through the mess of clothes inside.

Suddenly, the heavy